The author...blends in many of his own unique touches that render the proceedings fiendishly clever and brilliantly funny. The whole narrative is held together and driven forward by its perfectly formed characters ... a compelling whodunit complete with red herrings, unexpected twists, and a pair of police officers who, despite their best efforts, always manage to be one step behind their amateur counterparts. At the same time, and without reducing any of his carefully built-up momentum, Osman allows his main characters to experience senior moments or reflect on growing old. There is regular humor but also bouts of tragicomedy...and moments of real poignancy.
Humor is everywhere, and it is very British—smart and a little prickly—but it would not be lost on an American audience. The wit and the plot will bring readers back for more of this series ... The Thursday Murder Club is a mystery, but it can also be seen as a novel about friendship and longing and coming to terms with who we are, making it much more substantive than your average whodunit.
... a fast, and at times, hilarious read. Osman has done an outstanding job of bringing his characters to life and making them as individual as if they were real. This is definitely a read for a cold, rainy night with a cup of tea and some scones.
The mystery itself is a bit run-of-the-mill, but the characters and the writing are a treat ... Everyone in the central quartet, especially the two women, are more complex than they originally seem, and while the tone is predominantly light and funny, Osman finds some moments of sweet poignancy.
The characters are the true driving force and a huge part of the charm. Their unique voices will linger long after you finish the book ... They are full-blown personalities—witty, tragic, sad, forgiving and enviable—the many emotions one finds in the waning years of one’s life. British TV personality Richard Osman’s debut novel is an exceptional gem. I guarantee you will want to join the Thursday Murder Club.
... don’t be fooled by the lemon drizzle cake and apple crumbles. Like all the great elderly sleuths of the past, Joyce doesn’t miss a thing when it comes to a suspicious death ... Here Osman is channelling all the best of British cosies with a smidge of the Ealing comedies and more than a few poignant asides on the process of ageing and the end of life ... a plot that thickens like custard. This is light entertainment with edge.
Osman powerfully dismantles settled notions of old age. His octogenarians are aware that they are in the evening of life and death and grief solicit their mundane views. Yet, these pensioners are fiercely independent, humorous, ambitious and resourceful. They clarify at the outset that they are not friends simply because they now have to spend the rest of their lives together. They are opinionated and do what they do because they are skilled at it. The author also utilizes his literary flair to demonstrate a compassionate understanding of gender and ethnicity, and the attached prejudices at this nexus. Diversity is one of the most prominent themes in the novel ... The book embraces the assortment of their oddities and what finally stands out are strong characters with unparalleled individualities. Osman ensures that they are not reduced to caricatures and that their diverse nationalities play a role in the plot ... The past and the present overlap, heightening the mystery in this whodunit but that also deconstructs the myth of righteousness.
... imaginative and witty ... Through some hilariously masterful manipulation, the group unearths clues and teases out witness testimony ... Osman’s careful attention to the realities of life in a retirement village ensures that The Thursday Murder Club is a compassionate, thoughtful tribute to a segment of the population that’s often dismissed and ignored. It’s also an excellent example of the ways in which a murder mystery can be great fun.
.. an ingenius plot ... Each is a gem of a character with a rich backstory ... Even more compelling is the book’s fixer, Bogdan, a Polish builder whose resourcefulness outdoes Jack Reacher’s ... a feelgood story that wittily reflects society as it is rather than beating the drum of a fashionable cause ... Osman's characters...[have] comic flair.
The plot—essentially a cosy caper that zips nicely along from start to end—is deftly handled. However, Osman’s real genius lies in choosing such an original setting and creating such a strong and likeable cast of characters. With a light yet honest touch, Elizabeth and her crew neatly upend many stereotypical assumptions about older people. It’s such enjoyable escapism that when a visiting DCI tells Donna her boss 'couldn’t catch Covid, that one', the reference stands out as an odd and unwanted moment of reality in an otherwise delightfully skewed alternate version of life. Elizabeth, Ron, Joyce and Ibrahim each have their own distinctive style, and Osman slips between them with ease. His compassion for his characters and swift storytelling are so beguiling that it’s easy not to notice just how skilled he is in moving from one character’s perspective to another.
They might be in their 70s, but this endearing ensemble manages to make themselves an invaluable part of the police force, without the cops even realizing how ingenious they really are. This is a refreshing mystery debut novel filled with with charm and likeable characters who piece together clues in an unconventional way. Add in a dose of humor, and the result is a very enjoyable read.
Osman essays an authorial voice that captures a bit of the cadence of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, or at least the odd hot flush of Victoria Wood’s Dinnerladies ... Osman handles his cast of eccentrics with the aplomb of a gameshow host, and a few too many authorial winks to camera, sensing, you imagine, with every barely credible plot twist, a franchise in the making.
The character-driven mystery, featuring a group of sleuths all too aware of their own mortality, and a likable pair of cops, is suspenseful, funny, and poignant ... The delightful, spirited characters from this witty, sometimes bittersweet story deserve a return engagement.
A thicket of characters demands some concentration, but it’s worth it to soak up Osman’s wry character building and dialogue, which perfectly encapsulate everyone from the flashy developer, who quickly meets his end, to a young police officer who can’t believe she’s on a murder case. Numerous suspects prove to have done misguided things from love, with the solution resembling Churchill’s 'riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.' Readers will want to hear more from Osman and his engaging cast, especially the bumbling, kind Joyce; in the meantime, recommend Christopher Fowler’s Bryant & May series.
... a fascinating primer in detection as British TV personality Osman allows the members to use their diverse skills to solve a series of interconnected crimes ... A top-class cozy infused with dry wit and charming characters who draw you in and leave you wanting more, please.
